Love in the Time of Injustice
by Six2VII
Summary: Klaus has been rehabilitated and seeks to finish the work he started as a young man. Bonnie has grown up and is the managing partner in her law firm. When Klaus needs help Rebekah steps up. Can Klaus and Bonnie pick up where they left off or have they grown apart.


**A/N: This is for Klonnie Week 2k17. This is an amalgamation of current events and the good wife and history. Excuse the horrible grammar and corniness. Bad Language. Smuttish.**

 **Disclaimer:This ain't mine.**

* * *

"Is this straight?" Rebekah said trying to measure by sight herself. She looked from wall to wall trying to determine the exact middle.

"Where did you even get that?" Nik said looking up from his research on Marcel Gerard and the Onyx movement. He had been reading articles since last night when the community organizer called and said he needed his help.

"It was on clearance at Target. It doesn't look too cheap does it?" Rebekah said fluffing the pillows she had made this morning on her sewing machine. It wasn't much but it made this whole in the wall look ten times better.

"Rebekah, we are a free legal clinic. I don't think our clientele cares where the paintings on the walls come from."

"Just because we are nonprofit doesn't mean we can't look professional."

"Well don't make it too professional. We can't afford a security system right now." Niklaus said circling a bit about the Onyx movement being suspected in a string of arsons at buildings that hosted White supremacists. When he looked up again Rebekah was trying to scrub the faint coffee stain out of the "waiting room" couch they had got from the Salvation Army last week. She must really be missing her spotless former office.

"Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?" Rebekah said pulling the dead leaves off the marked down fern she got from Wal-Mart.

"Bennett and Associates."

"No." Rebekah said glancing up at her big brother. Truthfully, she missed it a lot, but she loved Nicky more. If only he would take the money from her or their mother. They could actually buy computers from this century, and maybe paper clips.

"Are you lying?"

"A bit. Look, I know this was the right move. You needed a lawyer to supervise you, and I get to be my own boss."

"I promise you. I will pay you back. You'll be in a corner office filled with Basquiat prints and orchids in no time."

"I know, especially if we win Cook County vs. Gerard. Do you think he remembers me?"

"You were thirteen when I went to prison, he better not or I will be going back in."

"Don't joke like that."

"I was kidding. My rebel phase is behind me."

"Is it? Instead of taking several offers from reputable firms including Father's, you decide you wanted to open a free legal clinic in the middle of gang territory."

"It's also the middle of the movement. There are a lot of good people here, including some of those gang members."

"Bennett and Associates does pro bono here. You could have…"

"I don't want to talk about Bennett and Associates. I want you to stop cleaning, and decorating, and start lawyering. I'm opening the doors in ten minutes."

"I'm the licensed professional, which means I'm the boss."

"I am licensed as well."

"It's provisional license that depends on supervision. Who is your supervisor? Oh, I know…me."

"It's my clinic."

"Technically, it's moms. She owns the building."

"Are you ready or not? I see a line forming."

"Ready. Oh, I forgot to mention. I hired Kol as our receptionist."

"Our brother Kol? No."

"We need a receptionist, Nik."

"Why?"

"Because I know you. I will not be making your coffee or fetching your lunch. Kol will, so get used to it."

"Is he even out of county yet?"

"That's rich coming from you."

"I went to prison for a cause."

"He's an hacktivist for antifa."

"What the fuck does that even mean?"

"It means…and here he is." Rebekah said taking in her rumpled and sleep deprived kid brother.

-o0o-

"They're trying to set us up. I don't even know who this kid is. He came to a few meetings and never said anything. Next thing I know he's all over the news for attempted murder on the police commissioner. I did not order that hit." Marcel Gerard explained. The usually charming man was anxious. He should be. Half the city thought he put a hit on the head of the Chicago PD. Every so often he would glance towards the windows. Nik was sure Marcel's friends were armed.

"This is bollocks." Kol interrupted from clear across the room.

"Kol!" Rebekah hissed, smiling apologetically to their potential client and his associates.

"What?" Kol half-yelled.

"Hush." Rebekah mouthed.

"The criminal justice system in this county is a fucking joke not to mention the country. We are turning into a Banana Republic."

"Kol, go make coffee." Nik said glaring at his sister. He knew his brother was a mistake but Beks was always trying to help people.

"I can't." Kol replied.

"Why the fuck not?" Nik said turning to look at his brother and then back to their bemused client. "Sorry, Man."

Marcel shook his head, trying not to laugh.

"We're out." Kol said matter-a-factly.

"Kol, I brought coffee yesterday." Rebekah said astonished.

"I drank it all." Kol informed. Nik sighed.

"Hey, I needed fuel for my brain. Since I spent the weekend in…"

"Kol, go get lunch." Rebekah said before he could finish, smiling at their clients again. Kol stood from his desk by the front door, stretched and walked out with the lunch order they had given him an hour and half ago. After their younger brother left, Nik continued.

"I apologize. We're trying to help to him out."

"I understand that's what the movement is about, family and community."

"I'm glad you understand but, I have to ask you?"

"Did Onyx set those fires on 72nd?" Marcel paused.

"You hesitated. How is a jury supposed to believe you didn't have a vendetta against a police commissioner who has made it his life's work to destroy the Onyx movement?"

"Nik, you know me."

"I do. You are a black man who has dedicated his life defending his neighborhood by any means necessary."

"I didn't kill that man. If I did I would tell you."

"Like the fires?"

"Hey, you're the one who did a bid for the felony destruction of city property."

"I did and I'm proud of that."

"Well we can't all be rich and the son of one of the most powerful judges in the country. You destroy traffic lights, you're a hero and a lawyer four years after you get out. Luka Martin kicks a can of smoke back at the cops and he's found dead in his car three months later."

"I hear what your saying, I completely understand, and I want you to know we are on the same side. But, I need to know the truth so I can be prepared to defend you."

Marcel regarded the lawyer before him but said nothing. Nik sighed putting down his pen. He wanted to help Gerard guilty or not but he needed him to trust him.

"Why did you come to me?"

"Honestly, because your daddy is connected, your one of the smartest people I know, and you used to be down."

"Ok. So help me do my job."

-o0o-

"So, we are taking the case?" Rebekah said locking the door and pulling down the gate in the front of the store.

"Yes." Nik said rubbing his eyes. If he took the train he could get to city hall records 15 minutes before they close and submit his sunshine request.

"I can't talk you out of it?" Rebekah said looking down at her notes, and at the state of her desk.

"No. I thought this was our career making case." Nik said looking up at his sister. He knew this scared her. He had no right to do this to her but he needed her.

"Yeah it is, but now I have had a chance to look at the evidence." Rebekah said turning to look at the white board that had everything they knew outlined visually.

"And?"

"You really believe him?" Rebekah said thinking back to the man that was there this evening. That man was not the Marcel Gerard she remembered from her childhood.

"Yeah. We came up together." Nik defended.

"That was a decade ago. He used to be so...charming and buoyant. Now you can see the chip on his shoulder from a mile away." Rebekah said a little saddened at what life had done to such a beautiful soul.

"Marcel was the salutatorian at the academy. He probably would have been valedictorian if he didn't work before and after school to help his mom, and have to ride an hour to get to school everyday. He worked hard for a future that has been completely torn away by the current political climate. It's not fair, and he get's to be angry."

"I know, but what if that anger has turned violent?" Rebekah said. She was hearing all kinds of things about the Onyx Movement. Some were good. Some were terrifying. Desperate people committed desperate acts. She had no idea what was truth and what was propaganda.

"You've been at Bennett and Associates too long. I'm going to the hall of records."

"Nik you've been up since six and I know for a fact you slept here last night. On that disgusting couch no less."

"What? I've slept in worse places. I sprayed some febreeze on it. Beks the case isn't going to solve itself. I need to investigate."

"You have a little money left. We could hire an investigator?"

"Not a good one. No. We need that money for the bills."

"I can get Kol to…"

"No. He has no idea what restraint means, and he will be dumping confidential city data all over the dark web."

"Give him a chance."

"I did. He drank all my coffee." Rebekah watched her exhausted big brother walk out the door. He was so determined to prove himself. She knew she shouldn't but she dialed the number anyway.

-o0o-

The door chimed just as Nik got the coffee going. Kol had not shown up for work yet, and Rebekah left a message saying she had an appointment.

"I'll be right out." If things kept going like it was he was going to have find a way to hire another lawyer and investigator. He had been swamped with small time criminal cases, eviction disputes, and of course Marcel's case. He could sell the Dali his grandfather left him, but god he loved that painting.

He went out into the front room and stopped midstride.

"Hi." She said like it was perfectly normal for her to be there. The sun shining through the storefront played with those green eyes stirring up too much he had tried in vain to forget.

"Hi." He said setting his cup down on his desk. He stared down at the small wolf statue Rebekah had brought at the flea market to make his workspace more masculine. His sister was spoiled and naïve, but very thoughtful.

"I heard you had come back to Chicago. I've been meaning to call. The place is…nice." Bonnie said looking around at the mishmash of furnishings and secondhand décor.

"I was going to call when I got out. I still have some of your things at the loft. With law school and everything. I haven't had a chance."

"Yeah, I get it."

"So…are you looking for Rebekah. She had some sort of appointment this morning."

"No. I just was stopping by."

"Stopping by…the hood."

"What is that supposed to mean? We serve people in this community as well."

"You mean first years and interns. Not, named partners."

"The name is my Gram's."

"So your not a senior partner."

"I am. Look, I am trying to..."

"What? You're trying to what? You've stopped by."

"Ok." Bonnie said picking up her purse and walking towards the door. She turned back suddenly. "You took the Gerard case. You just got back. Half this city thinks you're a terrorist. Instead of being smart and laying low, you have to show off. Thumb your nose at everyone."

"What does it matter Bonnie? Why do you care what I do?"

"I care about you."

"Do you? Those thirteen long years alone with few words from you says different."

"They were long and lonely for me too."

"Not that lonely. How is Damon?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Hmm."

"If you want to be selfish and destroy your life fine, but think about what you are doing to your sister's career. One more year and she would have been a senior partner."

"I am fighting for justice, Bonnie. It's something you used to care about before you let your Grams get in your head."

"WE HAD TO GROW UP, NIKLAUS! I was too old for that shit. We had the power and access to fight the from within but that wouldn't piss your father off enough so you decide to become a felon."

"They were taking advantage of poor people. Taking money out of the pockets of families in need."

"And what about our family? When the hell were you going to fight for me?" Bonnie shot back. The door chimed as an older Asian couple walked in. Bonnie couldn't believe she let him pull her into their shit so quickly. She had come to offer the help Rebekah had asked for but, she couldn't deal with his white savior shit.

"I'll be with you guys in just a second. I have some coffee and tea in the back if you want some." The couple nodded and walked into the direction Nik was pointing.

"Interns and First years at Bennett and Associates have to complete so many pro bono hours along with their billable to be considered for promotion. Some of them have a hard time finding suitable pro bono cases. I would like to partner with your clinic to help them achieve their quota. Of course we will pay you and Rebekah a stipend for the tutelage and supervision."

"We don't want your charity."

"Really? Because it seems like you need it."

"Look if you feel guilty…"

"Excuse me? Why would I feel guilty? I did not abandon you six months before we were suppose to get married."

"What don't you understand about fighting injustice."

"I'm a black woman in America, don't talk to me about injustice."

"You're family is number 56 in the fortune five hundred."

"Yours is number 33, so what's your point?" The couple came back into the room.

"Is this a bad time?" The Asian man asked looking between Nik and Bonnie.

"No, I was just leaving. I will send the contract to Rebekah. Please consider this offer. It's a win-win for both of us. Don't let "us" get in the way of your justice. You never have before."

-o0o-

They had been arriving all day. Packages his sister had ordered since Bonnie's check had cleared. Kol was under a desk hooking up his 9th computer of the day. Nik chose to keep his laptop instead of work on anything that sellout had purchased. He ignored his siblings burying himself into his work as they turned his quant little storefront office into some slick and overdesigned box.

Rebekah had overruled him. She said she was going to walk if he didn't sign the papers. She lectured him about working too hard and trying to be superman. She even had the gall to bring up Henrik. He hadn't spoken to her since. He had to admit, the clients seemed to respond better to the space. They deserved lawyers who looked like they knew what they were doing, and fortunately for them he knew the law inside and out. He literally had been on both sides of it all his life.

"Are you going at least talk to them when they arrive?" Rebekah tried again to engage her brother in conversation. Niklaus scanned the security photos from an ATM across the street from the Onyx Headquarters.

"You're being childish. We agreed to do this." Rebekah whined when he didn't answer.

"You agreed to do this. I'm on a probationary trial remember? Most of these kids have more experience than I do. What the fuck can I teach them?"

"She's sending over scutt. They have more experience sucking up, combing through precedence, and secondary evidence than you that's all. Their glorified paralegals."

"Whatever Rebekah. You totally set this up the moment I asked you to help. Did you even quit your job?"

"I did ask for help because you can't run a law firm on hopes and dreams." Rebekah responded.

"We're a legal clinic." Nik clarified.

"Which is a poor man's law firm." The door chimed open, and in walked five kids dressed to the nines. Those tailored suits never looked so expensive as inside the clinic. Rebekah herself had started dressing down so she wouldn't intimidate the clients.

"Hi, I'm looking for Rebekah Mikealson." A strapping young brunette man said taking command of the group.

"That's me." Rebekah said walking to the front of the store with her had outstretched.

"I'm Jeremy Gilbert." The young man said taking her hand and shaking it firmly.

"Did you really beat Elijah Mikealson in court?" Gilbert added already sucking up. He was good. It was the defining moment of her career.

"I heard she made him curse during the trial. He was charged with contempt of court by his own father." Tyler Lockwood added. The kid was the stand out from the first years. He was a shoe in for a promotion. She wondered why Bonnie sent him. He was Bonnie's third chair on more then a few cases.

"Yes, I'm Ms. Mikealson, those boots under the desk over there are Kol, and that grouchy old man in the back is Mr. Mikealson."

"Nik." Nik said rewinding his video to get a closer look at the car letting the defendant out at the corner. Rebekah sighed. He never wanted to take responsibility.

"The felon." The pretty Asian girl whispered too loudly.

"And you are?" Rebekah said honing in on the offending young woman.

"Me Ma'am? I'm Annabelle Zhu. You can call me Anna." Anna said shaking Rebekah's hand. Mason's intern Anna? She had heard the kid was pretty smart.

"I'm April Young. I looked up case law for you last September for the Devry University Fraud Case."

"You found that clause. It helped turned the tide in that case." Rebekah said smiling. "Did you enjoy the champagne?" April nodded feverishly.

"Yes ma'am." Rebekah's brows bunched. Bonnie had sent her best and brightest. She was sure Gilbert was Abby's personal lackey. That meant this last girl must be…

"I'm Aimee Bradley. I…"

"Intern for Sheila Bennett herself." Rebekah said grateful to have a friend like Bonnie. Too bad her brother couldn't see past his hurt. The door chimed again and in walked Salvatore.

"What are you doing here?" Rebekah said surprised glancing at both of her brothers. They both ignored her and their new staff as well.

"I got marching orders to be here at 8:00am. To help you babysit the kids."

"It's 8:45." She said looking at her watch.

"Same difference. They don't give shit long as I'm out of their hair." Stefan Salvatore said marching over to the first desk he saw clunking his briefcase on top.

Nik did look up for a moment regarding the man. Her brother had a preternatural sense about people. Once upon a time Stefan Salvatore was a shooting star. Then his fiancé ran off with his brother. Who happened to be Bonnie's boyfriend at the time. Salvatore started showing up late drunk, high and barely conscious. Abby wanted to fire him but Sheila had a soft spot for the young man. She had trained him herself and hoped he would straighten up. Two years later he had gotten off the hard stuff but that spark never came back, and he dissolved into mediocrity. He and Rebekah had been secretly sleeping together for months now. Everyone at work probably knew. Bennett and Associates was the adult real life version of Gossip Girl but at least her parents didn't know. They were still trying to push Silas on her. It was funny. He kind of favored Stefan. He was more like his evil twin.

"Everyone sit anywhere that is open. I will be handing out cases momentarily." The door pushed open again, Rebekah turned and her eyes shut in frustration.

"Katerina?" Rebekah sighed.

"Blondie." Katerina Petrova strolled into the building. Predictably, ever male in the building stood at attention even her anarchist brothers.

"I asked for Matt." Rebekah smiled through her teeth.

"Lucky for you. Bonnie sent me instead." Katerina said whispering into Rebekah's ear as she walked by. She stopped right before getting to the last unoccupied desk.

"Ooh. Now I see what all the fuss is about." Katerina said strolling up to her new boss. Nik looked up at the woman dressed in a motorcycle jacket, tight ripped jeans, combat boots, and a sweater cut so low he thought he saw a flash of nipple." Nik wiped his mouth. Was he slobbering?

"I'm Katerina." She said leaning dangerously close to him.

"I'm Nik…" He said leaning back. "And, not interested." His body didn't agree.

"Well aren't you cute, prison bae. I'm married… to Lucy Bennett. I'm also the best investigator in Cook County, and that is Bill Forbes's undercover car." Katerina said reaching across Nik to speed up the video.

Rebekah shook her head as she looked around the room. Fifteen minutes. They already had a lead. Bonnie had sent her A team. She loved her bestie but she knew this wasn't just for her.

-o0o-

When Bonnie walked into Alinea and got to their table her friends immediately stopped talking. She sighed. Today's gossip was about her instead of Caroline's date last night.

"What?" She said looking around at her friends. They were extremely posh. Makeup flawless. Not a hair out of place. Even Katerina, who was not strictly dressed in the "proper" attire, looked like a supermodel in her artfully ripped Gucci jeans.

"He's fucking hot." Katerina said glancing at the Salon Menu. He may have not been her type but Nik was awfully pretty. She thought Aimee was going to pass out every time he glanced in her direction.

"He's a convict." Caroline reminded them. She was the one who held Bonnie for a month after he was convicted. She is the one who helped her pack up her wedding invitations and cancel all her reservations. He cost her thousands of dollars in deposits.

"He's my brother." Rebekah reminded her. She knew everyone was a bit older than her but she remembered the fun her, Bonnie, and Nik used to have when Bonnie came over to the house.

"I know babe. The black sheep of the Mikealson Clan, but you know Kol is fighting hard to take over the title." Caroline answered.

"I don't want to talk about him." Bonnie said trying to decide what to order. What she really wanted was a hot dog and cold beer. She hated this place but it was Caroline's week to pick. She also hated this conversation and wanted nothing more to get back to her office and her work that helped distract from the fact that her ex-convict fiancé was back in Chicago taking on the City and Police Department again. They could kill him this time. They would if his father wasn't the biggest shark in the fish tank.

"You don't want to talk about him, but my wife is working on the Southside of Chicago for the foreseeable future. Why is that?"

"If you hadn't left the firm to become a comic book artist you would still be dictating Katerina's schedule instead of me." Bonnie said deflecting.

"Graphic novel writer." Lucy defended.

"What is the difference?" Caroline asked, taking a sip of wine.

"There is none, especially to Sheila Bennett." Bonnie said glancing over at her older cousin who got to do everything she wanted. Nik got to do whatever he wanted. When was she going to do what she wanted? _What do you want, Bonnie?_ She asked herself.

"Speaking of Sheila, what did she say to you giving away her best intern and her boy toy to that ex-felon of yours?" Katerina asked shifting the conversation away from her wife's career and family's disappointment.

"He's not mine. Hasn't been for years, and ew, Stefan is not having sex with Grams." Bonnie deflected yet again.

"Not now. I here the cocaine messed up his sex drive." Caroline said taking a sip of her wine. Katerina snorted.

"I'm sure his sex drive is fine." Rebekah said before thinking about it.

"You would know. Please tell me you are using a condom. You know Grams had to bail him out last year for soliciting a undercover cop for prostitution." Bonnie said.

"That was a misunderstanding." Rebekah defended.

"Yeah. No wonder you both get on so well. You both like criminals." Lucy said drinking her tea.

"And what do you call that walking talking misdemeanor sitting beside you." Rebekah asked.

"Goddess divine. Mama when she's really excited." Katerina answered. Rebekah sneered at the woman. She would never forgive her for breaking Elijah's heart.

"Ew, TMI." Caroline said.

"God help the straights." Katerina said.

"Straight? Caroline? That's suspect at best. Like she didn't have a slew of threesomes with Matt and Elena at the academy." Lucy spilled. "While I'm being messy…"

"Are you going to tell Nik you faithfully contributed to his commissary every month even though he abandoned you." Lucy said slyly.

"What?" Rebekah said looking at her friend.

"She was putting it in your mother's name so he wouldn't know." Caroline added. She was furious they day she found out. If his parents didn't give a fuck what happened to him, why should Bonnie?

"Bonnie? He thinks you abandoned him." Rebekah questioned.

"He would." Caroline said shaking her head.

"Good. She deserves better. He such an asswhole." Lucy said waiving over the waiter.

"Hey." Rebekah defended.

"It's hard to hear baby girl, but your favorite brother is a narcissistic jerk." Katerina explained.

"He went to jail because he destroyed the rigged traffic lights city hall was using to overcharge people. Someone could have been hurt." Bonnie answered.

"And what about the people he hurt?" Caroline asked.

"We have our differences, but ultimately, I'm proud of him?"

"Really? Were you proud on October 27th?" Lucy asked. Bonnie glared at her cousin. How dare she bring up her almost wedding date?

"You must not be fucking this bitch right?" Bonnie said to Katerina. "Don't take it out on me because you fell from Gram's good graces. You made that decision."

"Exactly, and I'm trying to stop you from doing the same stupid shit." Lucy said. "Except with Niklaus you have more than Sheila to worry about. What happens when Chicago PD paints a target on your back?"

"Not all cops are bad cops." Caroline said defending her family. She had a long line of officers in her family. Her mom and dad were senior officials in Chicago PD.

"I know that. We all know that. But cops only see one color…blue."

-o0o-

"Admit it. There good. They've cleared more cases in months than it would have taken us a year by ourselves."

"They are good. I'll give you that. You must be valuable to Bonnie and her Grams. These kids are workhorses. Katerina could charm a snake, and Stefan has a creative way of looking at law."

"Really?" Rebekah said surprised.

"Yeah he's a little moody but a great sounding board, but you know that. You're sleeping together."

"He really is a great guy…wait…what? Did he tell you that?"

"Are we fucking idiots?" Kol said from his desk. "If I see you make googly eyes at him one more time I'm going to vomit."

"Shut up, Kol." Rebekah yelled.

"He's right you know. Also, is that _the_ Katerina?" Nik asked. Rebekah nodded.

"What?" Kol said looking between his elder siblings.

"Shut up, Kol." Nik said going back to his desk. Rebekah followed him.

"You know it's not because they value me. I mean they do, but it's because Bonnie believes in you. She cares about you."

"Rebekah."

"No. I don't see why you can't forgive her?"

"She abandoned me."

"You went to jail."

"I know. She wrote five letters, and then nothing."

"If it weren't for mom, I would have starved."

"Nik please."

"I know you look up to her. To us. You think of us as this fairytale relationship but we've grown up. We've moved on."

"Mom didn't put money on your books. Bonnie did." Rebekah blurted out. Kol started laughing.

"You thought Esther Mikealson put money on your books for thirteen years after you embarrassed them like that. And I thought Bekah was naïve. They wouldn't even bring my wallet from my room so I could bail myself out." Kol said coding their new and improved website.

"I thanked mom. She didn't say a thing."

"I know. I think she knew who it was and was respecting her wishes to keep her gift anonymous. Look around this room Nik. Look how much she loves you."

"Rebekah." Nik said turning away from his siblings.

"She's right you know. You wouldn't know this because you're a dinosaur but these computers are top of the line. We got ten of them and redid the office. How much did she pay you Beks."

"Shut up Kol." Rebekah said to her little brother who was talking a little too much.

"Also, your eunie."

"What the fuck is saying?" Nik said turning to his sister. Kol sighed.

"I get it. You think I'm a fuck up. Some dumb kid, but I notice stuff. I'm good with patterns and numbers. I notice that women don't interest you. Men either cause if I was into guys, I'm not, but like all the interns are kind of hot and in awe of you. You don't see any of it, but mention this Bonnie chick's name and you go apeshit. Between Katerina, and Jeremy. I mean I figure you've been locked up for years."

"Jeremy huh?" Rebekah said teasing her brother.

"Shut up Beks." Kol said pulling up his hood and sliding on his earphones.

"He's cute in lost puppy sort of way." Rebekah said saddling up to Kol's desk. Nik went back to his own desk looking at the time. His siblings were annoying. Why couldn't they let him be. He looked at the time. He wondered if her address had changed from the last letter she wrote.

"I wish I were an only child." Kol murmured as Rebekah sung another round of Kol and Gilbert sitting in a tree.

"Me too." Nik and Rebekah said simultaneously. They all looked at each other and started laughing.

-o0o-

It had been a long day. Gram's was on a warpath because Davina had messed up her coffee order again. Lucy had barely spoken to her since that lunch months ago, and She had no one to talk to that would understand. She needed someone after the DA threatened her after she suggested they change Columbus Day to Indigenous People Day in the city of Chicago. This shit was getting out of hand. Two years ago he would never. Fifteen years ago he was sweet as pie. He knew better than to disrespect her with Nik around. How the world had changed. Her door buzzed. Damn Amazon was fast tonight. She buzzed in her groceries.

She thought clearing out the "fab five" as they were called at the office would give the other first years and interns time to shine. She was wrong. Grams' and Abby had basically made up their minds. And the remaining seven weren't living up to Aimee, Gilbert, and Tyler respectively. They were good. Too bad good at Bennett and Associates got you the door. Just then her own door chimed.

"Hey Marko, you guys must be slow tonight." Bonnie said to the blonde haired blue-eyed man who was not her regular deliveryman.

"Nik? How did you get up here?" Bonnie said letting him into her condo.

"You buzzed me in. I could have been anyone Bon. You need to be more careful." Nik said taking in his luxurious surroundings. Bonnie was clearly following in the Bennett family tradition. His eyes snagged on the painting that hung above her fireplace. It was the only watercolor he had ever done. He had sold it for bail money.

"Spare me the lecture. What are you doing here?" He turned back to Bonnie. She had been crying. Something dark and dangerous swirled inside of him. He suppressed that feeling. He would revisit that later. After he cleared the air between them.

"I was just stopping by." He lied cheekily. Her brow rose at him. She smiled as he desired, and then her lips pursed.

"So…you stopped by." He rolled his eyes. Walking further into her space.

"I also brought you dinner." Bonnie looked down at the beer and the greasy brown paper bag in his hand. She could cry. She definitely smelled her favorite meal on a shit night.

"Pinkerton has a food truck now instead of just the hot dog cart."

"I know."

"I got two dogs, some fries, and some blue moon."

"My favorite."

"I know." Bonnie smiled up at him taking the bag.

She went into the kitchen and pulled down two plates. Nik followed her into the chef's kitchen that Bonnie probably never cooked in. "I also wanted to pick the best legal brain in Chicago."

"Some would say that was you." Bonnie said unwrapping their food and putting it on plates. She grabbed some honey mustard and a bottle opener and headed for her kitchenette table.

"You were the top of our class." Nik countered.

"I was. Because I studied. You barely looked at books, and still managed to wrangle the third spot from Damon." Nik frowned at that name. He had dreamed about the man in prison. He better stay in New York cause if Nik ever saw him. He might be sent up again.

"I never looked at the book, because I was too busy looking at you." Bonnie snorted biting into heaven on earth. She chased that wonderful taste with a cold brew. This man knew too much about her. This was dangerous territory.

"And going to jail for some protest." Bonnie added trying to grab hold to a lifeline. She was drowning.

"Many a night you were in a cell with me." Nik said dipping his fries in honey mustard, watching the woman he loved. His feelings and desire were swimming inside of him.

"Yeah I was. Then I grew up." Bonnie answered. Nik sighed. If they were going to move forward, if he was going to move forward they needed to talk about it.

"I didn't want to abandon you, Bonnie. I just wanted to make a difference." Bonnie nodded her head. She always understood that about him but there was more. He knew her so well even after all these years.

"And piss off my parents." Nik admitted.

"Well…you never do anything halfway, Nik."

"That's not true. I feel like after a while, I let our relationship take a backseat. I took it for granted that you would always be there."

"Well, I think you had some help with that. I'm proud of you, Nik. I just want you to be safe. Losing you was hard. And even though it's been literally years. I still can't bare to see anything happen to you."

"I accused you of being a sellout but today I found out that you have had my back all along." _Fucking Lucy and Rebekah_ , Bonnie thought.

"Duh." Bonnie said stealing a fry.

-o0o-

His soft lips grew hungrier after time. He stilled her.

"It's been a while for me Bonnie." Nik said warning her.

"I haven't had sex in months either." She said going to kiss him again.

"No. I haven't had sex since before." Nik said.

"Since you finished law school?" Bonnie said looking into his eyes.

"No, since before." He said silently.

"Since you went to jail? How is that possible?"

"I've gotten used to self gratification. I really don't think about it."

"Sex?"

"Okay so I do but I handle it myself."

"Do you want to have sex now?" Bonnie said suddenly aware that she had pounced on him.

"Very much so, but I don't want you to get your hopes up. I'm older, and it's been a while so it's probably not going t be like it used to."

"Hey. I want to make love to you. That's all that matters." Bonnie said leaning down to kiss him again. Their mouths moved against one another until garments were being slipped off and skin was sliding against skin. He sunk into her too afraid to move it felt so delicious. Bonnie was achingly filled and hadn't felt this connection in decades. Time, pain, and anger slipped away as they realized they had again found one another and love in a time of injustice.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it.**


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